Investigators to re-create fatal crash scene in Arcadia

ARCADIA - As part of a continuing investigation into a crash that killed a 16-year-old Arcadia girl and seriously injured an Upland teen just over a year ago, city officials will return to the site of the fatal incident to re-create the scene Sunday.

City officials will block off the 600 block of West Duarte Road between Baldwin and Lovell avenues from 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. as they examine the crosswalk, Arcadia police said in a statement.

The investigation is scheduled about the same time of day as the April 10, 2011 crash that killed Alice Zhang and badly injured her friend, Priyanka Patel, 17, police said. An Arcadia man pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in connection with the crash, and the families of both girls have sued the city alleging the sidewalk was unsafe.

"They will be trying to re-create the actual incident," said Arcadia Deputy City Clerk/Records Manager Lisa Mussenden.

Traffic and engineering experts will join the city's legal defense team from Carpenter, Rothans & Dumont, and use a similar vehicle to stage the re-enactment of last year's tragic scene, she said.

The investigation will both provide information for the planned litigation and insight into the crosswalk's safety, Mussenden said.

Zhang and Patel were crossing Duarte Road about 6:40 p.m. on a Sunday when they were struck by a 1997 Lexus being driven by then-19-year-old Bowen Du of Arcadia.

Investigators said Du's "excessively dirty" windshield, along with glare from the setting sun, played a major role in the crash.

After pleading guilty in November to a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter and a reckless driving charge, a judge sentenced Du in December to a year in jail and five years of unsupervised probation; he was also ordered to attend a driver safety course and complete 40 days of community service.

The Zhang and Patel families have filed lawsuits against the city, alleging the crosswalk itself contributed to the crash because of conditions such as inadequate lighting, lack of appropriate signs and road markings and failure to warn of a dangerous condition.

Both cases are pending and are in the discovery and investigation process, Mussenden said. No court dates have been set.

Police suggested that drivers who must access businesses on the north side of Duarte Road do so from Arcadia Avenue, while businesses along the south side of Duarte Road can be reached from Naomi Avenue.

To avoid the closure altogether, police said, motorists can use Huntington Drive and Camino Real, Holly and Golden West avenues.

For concerns or special needs, contact the Deputy City Clerk/Records Manager's Office at 626-574-5410. For assistance on the day of the closure, call Arcadia police at 626-574-5151.